Churches join forces for benefit concert

Two local churches are teaming up to host a benefit concert for an organization that helps juveniles who have been rescued from prostitution.

Jo Ann Kirby

Two local churches are teaming up to host a benefit concert for an organization that helps juveniles who have been rescued from prostitution.

Courage To Be You is a nonprofit group that has built a state-licensed group home - aptly titled Courage House - that is opening this spring in the Sacramento area for young victims of sex trafficking to receive counseling and rehabilitation.

The group, led by Jenny Williamson, hopes to build similar homes across the nation and in other countries where the crime is prevalent.

"We are very familiar with Jenny and her work. She actually just received our FBI Director's Community Leadership Award, which recognizes the achievements of an individual or organization in the area of drug and or violence education prevention," FBI special agent Steve Dupre with the Sacramento division said. "We looked at her efforts in the community to fight these awful crimes against young girls."

Dupre said a Sacramento task force made up of two FBI agents and several investigators from Sacramento law enforcement agencies have recovered 200 young victims of prostitution since the task force began in October 2006.

"One of the problems that is a challenge for law enforcement is that when the girls are recovered, there are only two places to take them - one is a children's receiving home and the other is juvenile hall," he said, adding that those two options don't have the specialized services, therapy and resources that these particular abuse victims need. "Jenny's goal is to give them a home where they can get the care they need to rehabilitate them and keep them off the streets."

The Rev. Dan Deuel of St. Andrew's Lutheran Church said he has been impressed with the efforts of Courage House since getting to know Stephanie Midthun, who helps coordinate benefit concerts for the group.

"They have a great ministry and they always put on an amazing concert," he said. "A lot of times you hear about the sex trafficking of children in other countries such as Thailand. But people don't realize, maybe, that this is a problem in our own backyard."

Deuel said St. Andrew's doesn't have the space to accommodate more than 250 people for a concert so the church reached out to another congregation for help.

The pastors at Quail Lakes, where there is seating for a much bigger audience, agreed.

"When we found out about this ministry and their efforts, it became something that is now close to our hearts," the Rev. Marc Maffucci of Quail Lakes said. "We are impressed with their mission and what they are trying to accomplish."

Midthun said tonight's event will feature performances by more than a dozen bands and singers. There will also be a presentation on Courage House's efforts, a firsthand account from a mother whose daughter was victimized and statistics from the FBI on the crime. The event is not recommended for children younger than 13.

The goal is to raise money for the Sacramento-area home that Courage House is close to opening.

"We have 50 acres and a home for six girls to start. Our goal is to build cottages to accommodate more girls," Williamson said. "There is a huge need for a safe home for children who have been rescued from a life of prostitution. We will have a clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma. We have horses for an equine therapy program. We have an art studio. These victims have huge lapses in education, so we have a school."

Williamson, who is the mother of three boys and an adoptive mom to two daughters, said that Courage House is full even before it opens.

"The need is so great," she said. "These girls have experienced serious trauma. The FBI tells me that each girl they recover knows two or three more girls that are being victimized. But if they don't have a place to go, they often end up back on the street."

Organizers hope tonight's event won't just raise awareness and open hearts but also open wallets.

Bands, including The Reel, will take to the stage along with a reggae artist, worship singers such as Christine Smit, Christian music artist Chaya and other singers and bands.

"Our goal is to open these homes around the country and around the world," Williamson said. "We want to help these victims of trauma and abuse rebuild their lives."